The Courier from Waterloo, Iowa • 13

SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 1 992 WATERLOO COURIER PAGE B5 Development group gives PRISMA boost 4 J.t. RICK CHASE Courier staff photographer Reliving the past At the Old Time Power Show at Antique Acres north center, and Percy Laue, right, of Cedar Falls, throw of Cedar Falls, Scott Dietz, left, of Waverly, carries hay onto the belt that takes it to the thresher In the hay to a pile on back of a truck as the final part of first part of the process. The event ends today, threshing and bailing. His grandfather, Dan Deitz, ERA backers march to boost issue said if the financing comes through, the company could employ an extra 100 people in the next two years. Jobs are what economic development is all about, said Mayor Jon Crews.

He acknowledged that the council's action set a precedent, but said the real risk was taken when the loan was first issued. "We loaned $50,000, had no jobs, just a disc and a plan," he said. "Now we have jobs. We've had jobs created, that's a positive. We've had the whole first floor renovated in the Fourth and Main building because of them.

That's a positive." Crews cited Merrill Oster as an example of a downtown businessman whose success did not come without some struggling. Oster Communications received a "Blue Chip Enterprises" designation this summer, a national award honoring businesses that have triumphed in tough situations. "At that award ceremony, he was saying there were times when he was near the bottom," Crews recalled. "A lot of people probably wouldn't have invested in that business. But he's made it, and now there are a lot of jobs here." Chiattello said Oster has made his resources available to PRISMA.

"In the early days we used their fax machine and their copy machine and legal help," he said. "Their financial officer Tom Noon has given us counsel. I think Merrill has a good vision, to take a little company like ours and help incubate it. He's even let us use his booth for trade shows. That sounds like a small item, but it's a $10,000 item that a little company can't afford." In the meantime, PRISMA staff is going full steam ahead with its marketing efforts.

PRISMA will mail about 3 million catalogs and promotional pieces this fall. Chiattello expects a final answer from SBA in two or three weeks. By MARGARET O'ROURKE Courier Staff Write CEDAR FALLS The Black Hawk County Economic Development Committee has agreed to help PRISMA Software out of its cash flow crunch. PRISMA owes the group about $80,000 in economic development funds from 1990. BHCEDC will convert the debt to an equal value of PRISMA common stock.

The Cedar Falls City Council approved a similar deal last week with $30,000 PRISMA owes. The city treasurer will hold an equal value of PRISMA stock in escrow, and PRISMA officials have declared verbally that the company will buy back the stock once it becomes financially stable. "We're just like Cedar Falls in terms of trying to support business in the area," said Steve Brustkem, the group's business services specialist. Because the group is private, it can hold the stock without escrow. State law prohibits municipal entities from holding stock in private companies.

Both agreements will help PRISMA qualify for a $400,000 loan from the U.S. Small Business Association. The company's president is "delighted." "We're in discussion with SBA daily, and we'e encouraged," said Guy Chiattello. "We've been very successful in our mail program, but we've never had sufficient working capital to mail enough pieces to break even for the company, because we continue to make a heavy investment in the product development." BHCEDC approved the debt-for-stock conversion contingent upon SBA's loan approval. BHCEDC wants $10,000 paid or a promissory note issued within 90 clays.

That represents 10 percent of the original $100,000 loan the committee extended. The company expanded from 11 to 31 people this spring, but has since cut back to about 17 employees. Chiattello it l. One-mile walk, rally intended to get the word out about measure on Nov. 3 ballot.

By DEBORA BLUME Courier Staff Writer CEDAR FALLS "What do they want? Equal rights. When do they want them? November." That was the chant of several hundred northeast Iowans who took part in a one-mile Walk for Women's Equality Saturday. The group linked up with others who spent the morning in a 10-kilo Minnesota firm eyes Chickasaw landfill project Cargill subsidiary would create a second landfill in northwest past of county. By MICHAEL BARTZ Courier Correspondent NEW HAMPTON Some citizens of Chickasaw County are beginning to wonder if the county may soon be known as the garbage dumping site of the Midwest and not for its fine farmland. While a citizens group in the county is still actively opposing the reopening of FINLAN landfill, plans are being revealed for a new landfill in the northwest part of the county.

It was learned this week that North Star Steel of Minneapolis, a subsidiary of Cargill International, has an option to buy the 160-acre Roy Boggess farm, one mile north of the small community of Bassett, to be used as a landfill. Jim Schultz, general business manager for North Star Steel, confirmed that the company "has optioned a piece of land in Chickasaw County for use as a landfill," but declined to elaborate and said further comment would be forthcoming. North Star has been distributing brochures to neighboring landowners describing their plans for the opera-, tion. According to the brochures, the landfill would be used for refuse from their car and appliance crushing businesses located in Minneapolis and Wilton, near Davenport. All metal and recyclable material are separated from the refuse, and what is left, called car fluff, would be dumped in the site.

North Star describes the material in their brochure as completely non-toxic and says it can even be used as a cover over existing land fills instead of dirt to help preserve natural resources. A similar landfill the company operates near Wilton is almost filled and the company needs the Chickasaw site to take refuse from both its plants. Revelation of the plans surprised most neighbors of the site and sentiments of opposition seem to be running high. One neighbor, Gaylan Lynch, said that he understood a petition was being circulated to oppose the landfill. He said he has farmed the Boggess farm in years past and said that it is some of the best land in the county.

He felt it would be a shame to put it into a landfill. Resident Jim Cavanaugh spoke with Doug Duren, recycling representative of North Star, who said that there would be up to 18 semi-loads a day of wastes coming into the site and said they preferred the Chickasaw site because of the deep clay base in the county. He also said that there are about 450 pounds of residue from each car body crushed. Cavanaugh said that he would oppose the opening of the site, not just I a ruin m. 7.

meter walk-a-thon to make people aware of the Equal Rights Amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot. Ronnie Podolefsky, co-chair of the Northeast Iowa chapter of the National Orga 7- 4-2jf v'V' New home Goals set Ronnie Podolefsky RICK CHASE Courier staff photographer Continued from page Bl Marcn participants go down Main btreet in cedar Pans toward Overman park Saturday. coordinator on staff to help with the home buildings. To justify the overhead for his salary, as well as other overhead costs Habitat has a goal of building four to five houses a year.

"It remains to be seen whether we can meet it or not, but I believe we can," he said. The need for volunteers is always heavy, said Marv Heller of Habitat for Humanity. While those skilled in construction or electrical or plumbing work is preferred, Heller said those willing to learn can be taught dry-walling and other home-building skills. In addition, this is not just a man's job. Many women volunteer who help out in various areas, including varnishing, staining wood and even roofing.

For more information on Habitat for Humanity, call 235-9936. the area in helping those in need, but has recently made a committment to "even go a step further" and help build homes for those in need. Paul Larscn, outgoing president of the local Habitat for Humanity, said the group is working to get commitments from area churches to work in partnership to construct another home in a similar fashion to the AAL project "Our goal is to have 20 covenant churches" committed to the project in the next year, said Larsen, who is leaving the organization to spend a year with his wife in Romania. Kay Delafield, vice president of the group, is taking over as president. Larsen said that Habitat for Humanity now has a part-time construction nization for Women, said she was pleased with turnout.

"We did not do the kind of phone banking that they did in other cities. It sort of went word-of-mouth. The turnout is people who wanted to come, not sort of caught on the telephone. This is all people very much excited about (ERA)," Podolefsky said. Podolefsky said proponents' emphasis is on educating people about what the amendment means.

"We want people to have an opportunity to read it, have an opportunity to ask any questions, get themselves informed, educated and provide as much information as we possible can so the people can vote intelligently," said Podolefsky, 42. The Equal Rights Amendment was on the ballot in Iowa in 1980. It lost by a 10-percent margin. Supporters blamed the defeat on a last-minute negative advertising blitz that claimed ERA would allow homosexuals to marry and adopt children, require unisex bathrooms and force women into military service. Marcher Charlotte Wilson, 59, of Cedar Falls, said she wouldn't be surprised if ERA opponents go with the same negative ad campaign tactic again.

"I hope there are enough intelligent women now, and men, to come out and really get (the ERA) through," Wilson said. University of Northern Iowa student Melissa Sherwood sees the ERA as protection for women from sexual harassment. She said opponents are trying to draw lesbian marriages and abortions into the debate, but "there is no hidden agenda." "If they see just writing women into the Constitution and having that basic equality, that is essentially what it is," said Sherwood, 20. Symone Ma, 29, of Cedar Falls said the amendment is important because "women's rights need to be protected." "If it's in the Constitution, hopefully there won't be as many injustices done to women," said Ma, who contends women's rights were eroded during the Reagan years. U.S.

Senate candidate Jean Lloyd Jones told the marchers during a rally at Overman Park that 12 years have changed the public's view of the Equal Rights Amendment. "It is much more mainstream. There are many more people in both political parties, young and old, people in the labor unions and the country club set. "People have come to see that the Equal Rights Amendment is not the threatening monster they feared it is really basic rights under the law for all people," Lloyd-Jones said. Pro-ERA walks and rallies were also held Saturday in Muscatine, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids.

p7 PEPSD jr H- There were some doubts that the Falcon Center in Independence would be successful. Falcon Center soars in Independence Recreation facility going strong, proving critics wrong after six months By AMY DAVIS Courier Staff Writer INDEPENDENCE Naysayers said it would never pump up that a recreational facility plotted for the edge of town would be a weak and flabby contribution to the community, if a lawsuit didn't knock it off its feet first for himself but for future generations in the county because if county officials let North Star in, other similar operations will come too. Lynch said, "I can't understand how somebody we don't want and won't benefit the county or the state can come in and bring their garbage. Why don't they keep their garbage where the industry is?" Some neighbors, including Eva Young, who owns a farm just across the road from the Boggess farm, said they hadn't even been contacted by North Star but would be opposed to the landfill. Young said she thought that the value of their land would certainly drop if the landfill was located there.

According to the DNR, any new landfill sites must get the approval of the County Board of Supervisors before opening. Board members say they were informed about two weeks ago by Howard R. Green and Associates of Cedar Rapids, engineers for the site, that a feasibility study of the land for a landfill was being done. The engineers told them the land would be dedicated to wastes from North Star Steel only. During meetings with the citizens group opposing the purchase and operation of the existing FINLAN Landfill in the county by and Landfill of Drums, no mention of the new site was made by the Board of Supervisors.

North Star has told some landowners they will be holding an informational meeting on Sept. 1 0 in Bassett. Courier Staff Writer Debora Blume contributed to this story. Admissions changes at Allen Hospital Inpatient and outpatient admissions at Allen Memorial Hospital are now through the new registration area adjacent to the emergency department on the second floor. The new emergencyadmitting parking lot, for use by patients, will open Monday.

Valet services will continue at the front lobby entrance and have been expanded to the admissions area as well. Visitors may also use the northwest parking lot across Donald Street from the emergency entrance. PfSII 24 ItJl IP ljpl cans 'fi- Ml A I 1 Deposit If. But midway through its first year of business, officials said the Falcon Civic Center is proving those naysayers wrong. Membership numbers are muscling close to goals for the entire year, rev HP, ly passes, 64 adult, 105 student, seven senior citizen individual and seven senior citizen couple.

Officials said those numbers are ahead of pace. Fox had projected that by March 1993 there would be 300 family memberships, 70 adults, 30 students, 15 senior citizen individual and 40 senior citizen couple. He said once cold weather sets in, memberships will surpass the anticipated goal. "We did fairly well as far as the numbers," Fox said. "In the summer, it kind of dwindled.

In the winter, that's when it really kicks in." Fox said the most popular feature of the center is the gym where teens hang out to shoot baskets and brides and grooms swoon to sentimental ballads. The racquetball courts are booked hen the weather is bad, and Friday night rollerskating has been so popular that Fox has already had to refinish the gym floor. "Along with use comes maintenance," he said. "It's costing us more in labor and product, but that's a good expense to have." Fox estimated that there have been 50 different activities at the center in the past six months, including art exhibits, aerobics classes and senior dinners. He said without the center, many of the event organizers would have taken their business out of town.

"The Lions convention would have went someplace else, the health fair would have gone out of town," Fox said. "The wedding dances would have gone to Oelwein or wherever." Speaking of wedding receptions, the biggest debate before the facility's opening was whether alcohol should be served. Fox argued at that time in favor of a beer and wine permit. Now he's not so sure if the center should continue to tip the tap despite the fact that 80 percent of reception planners request that alcohol be served. "I don't know how much longer we'll serve alcohol because of the money involved," Fox said, estimating that liability insurance, required permits and extra personnel for each event cost $3,000.

"I have some concerns and I may recommend that we don't continue because of the cost of the insurance." Despite the original disputes and the skepticism. Fox said the facility is now a positive force in the community. "This is bringing people in and it's probably bringing a lot of indirect revenues to the town," Fox said. "When wedding parties are here, they buy food, they shop here and they leave with fond memories of the city." "We're a goodwill ambassador for the community," he said. Richard Fox 2 Liter Bottles XJ 111 Plus kzi LJ Deposit hrZ enue is pouring in at a steady pace and, to the relief of center employees and city officials, there have been no alcohol-related incidents or lawsuits filed after weekend receptions and dances.

"So far, we're doing better than I expected," Parks and Recreation Director Richard Fox said. "We've had a lot more activities taking place in the facility that I guess I didn't envision." The Falcon Civic Center celebrates six months in business today. Membership numbers weigh in at 256 fami- Prices Effective Aug. 30 Sept. 5, 1992 BOTH WATERLOO AREA K-MARTS.